Keep Collectors Safe from Sharp Objects

Update: March 20th 2020 – Covid-19 Pandemic

Pharmacies are no longer accepting used sharps as suppliers will not be shipping Safe Sharps Containers for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19. Labelled sharps containers will be accepted by pharmacies at a future date.

Used sharps must be handled properly.

DO NOT put needles, syringes or lancets in plastic bottles or jugs.
DO NOT put needles, syringes or lancets in garbage or recycling bags.
DO NOT flush needles, syringes or lancets down the toilet.
DO NOT burn needles, syringes or lancets.

Pharmacies are instructing patients to use heavy duty plastic containers to store used needles (‘sharps’) at home until further notice. Containers like those used for laundry soap should be labelled Sharps and kept safely out of reach of children.

NO sharps or containers with sharps inside should ever be put in the garbage or recycling for collection. Help us keep our collection crews safe!

Have something sharp you need to throw out? Dispose of it safely.

Place glass in a cardboard box, mark the box ‘Broken Glass’ and place beside your garbage.

Put used needles or syringes in a safe sharps container. Containers can be picked-up and dropped off at any pharmacy in Nova Scotia. NEVER put used needles or syringes in your garbage or recycling.

Remove nails and screws from wood and wrap ceramic tiles in newspaper or cardboard before placing it in your garbage. Large amounts of construction material should be taken directly to the Waste Management Centre.

Improperly packaged broken glass in garbage bags can cause serious harm to those providing us curbside collection services. Let’s all do our part to help everyone go home safe at the end of the work day.